


Introducing Monster

by irena_adler



Series: Watson [48]
Category: Numb3rs
Genre: Cats, Family Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-14 11:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5742193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irena_adler/pseuds/irena_adler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Don and Will get a new family member.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Drabble: Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has another idea.

Originally Published: 12/12/06 

**Title:** Cat **  
**Pairing: Don/Will **  
**Rating: PG **  
**Summary: Will has another idea. **  
**Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my world, making no money. **  
**Feedback: Yes, please! Feed the author!  
**A/N:** Thanks for Munchkin for the beta.

  


“A cat?”Don said in surprise.

“Yeah,” Will said.“That way there will always be someone home with the other one when one of us is working long hours.A dog would need too much attention and I’ve never been into birds or fish.”

“I’ve never had a cat,” Don mused.“We had a dog when I was a kid – a golden retriever mix named Archie.Actually, his name was Archimedes.Charlie is the only 5-year-old that would name a dog that.He was a good dog.Liked to chase baseballs but he always chewed on them so I went to tennis balls.”

“I like dogs, too,” Will agreed. “But it wouldn’t be fair to a dog with our crazy schedules.”

“True,” Don frowned thoughtfully.“But a cat … Would a cat even care if we’re home?”

“Depends on the cat,” Will said.“I’ve had four different cats and one was super clingy, one was friendly, one was indifferent, and one wouldn’t let me get near him unless I was holding food.”

“So it’s a crap shoot?”

“Not at all,” Will laughed.“Well, mine I got through neighbors leaving or a friend’s new girlfriend being allergic, but you can go to the pound and actually meet them before you adopt one.”

“Adopt,” Don said.“Sounds serious.”

Will held up his hands.“Just think about it, okay?No rush.”

The next time Will was gone for a few days, Don wandered around the empty house.He had lived alone for a long time but now that he lived with someone, the silence seemed much more empty.He thought about going over to Charlie’s, but he and Colby deserved whatever private time they could find.Reluctantly, he went down to the local animal shelter, just to look.

And there he met Monster.


	2. Ficlet: Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will meets Monster.

**Title:** Monster **  
Pairing:**

Don/Will

 **  
Rating:** PG **  
Summary:** Will meets Monster. **  
Disclaimer:** Not my characters, not my world, making no money. **  
Feedback:** Yes, please! Feed the author!  
 **A/N:** Thanks for Munchkin for the beta.

  


Will trudged up the sidewalk, tired and grungy from four days undercover at the Los Angeles Port.He was looking forward to a shower and a long night’s sleep, but mostly he was looking forward to seeing Don.It was amazing how much difference it made to have someone to come home to.And not just someone -- his wonderful, aggravating, incredible Don.His steps sped up.

Don’s car was in the driveway, so he knew Don was home.Will fumbled with the door key and opened the door … then froze.

Sitting in the doorway, looking at him with interest, was the biggest cat that Will had ever seen.It was a brown tabby, with a white stomach, golden eyes, and tufted ears and feet.Will blinked at the cat and the cat blinked at Will.

Will heard Don laugh and looked up.Don was standing there in the door to the bedroom, a big grin on his face.

“Will, meet Monster,” Don said. “Monster, meet Will, your other housemate.”

“You got a cat?”Will asked in astonishment.

Don shrugged.“It was your idea.”

“I just didn’t think you’d move so fast.” Will stared at the cat.

“I didn’t plan to,” Don said.“But I met Monster at the animal shelter and he made it very clear that he was coming home to live with us.”

Will stepped inside, noting that the cat hadn’t made any move to leave through the open door.Monster immediately began to brush around his legs, purring.

“He likes you,” Don said with relief.

“Of course he does,” Will said, reaching down to scratch Monster’s head.“He knows he was my idea.”

Don snorted, and Will sat on the floor and introduced himself to Monster.

“He’s huge,” Will said, petting Monster’s thick fur while Monster rubbed his head against Will’s leg.

“Maine Coon. 17 pounds.”

“No wonder they called him Monster.”

“Actually, they called him Fluffball. I named him Monster.He seems to appreciate the improvement in status.”

“As well as the new home,” Will said.“Neutered?”

“Yep.”

“Litter box?”

“In the laundry room.”

“Food?”

“Same.”

“Does he go outside?”

“I debated keeping him just inside but Monster made it very clear that he was an indoor/outdoor cat.I even put a cat door in the back door, hope that was okay.”

“Sure,” Will said.“Sounds like he already has you wrapped around his paw.”

“I’m a soft touch,” Don shrugged.“And it gave me something to do in the evenings.I also wanted to make sure that he’d still be entertained when we’re both gone.”Don sat down on the chair next to Will and said, “He’s funny and we just hang out.He isn’t always demanding I pet him or feed him, he just likes to be around.He fetches, can you believe that?”

Will laughed.“Fetches?”

“Sure, I’ll show you later.”Don smiled down at Will.“I’ve been telling him all about you, but he insisted on waiting to pass judgment until he met you.Looks like he’s decided to keep us.”

Will looked at the cat and thought about the fact that he was _their_ cat.A living, breathing member of their little family.Will felt a thrill of joy go through him. 

There was a slight shake to Will’s voice as he asked, “Well, Monster, did you keep Don company while I was gone?”

“Yep,” Don answered for him, “But not nearly well enough.”Don reached down, pulled Will up from the floor and wrapped his arms around him.“Welcome home, Will,” he said and kissed him deeply.


	3. Drabble: Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don gets a morning surprise.

**Title:** Surprise **  
**Pairing: Don/Will **  
**Rating: PG **  
**Summary: Don gets a morning surprise. **  
**Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my world, making no money. **  
**Feedback: Yes, please! Feed the author!  
**A/N:** Thanks for Munchkin for the beta.

 

 

A scratching sound, a movement on the near side of the bed.Don’s eyes snapped open … and he saw _it._

With a yelp, he scrambled away, backing into Will, landing them both on the floor on the other side of the bed, in a tangle of blankets and bare limbs.Will freed himself, rolling smoothly to his knees and pointed his gun at … Monster, who was looking hurt that his gift of a dead mouse had been rejected.

Will lowered his gun and laughed and laughed.Blushing, Don slunk out of the room to get a paper towel.

 


	4. Ficlet: Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don and Will want Charlie to meet someone.

**Title:** Visitor **  
**Pairing: Don/Will, Charlie/Colby **  
**Rating: PG **  
**Summary: Don and Will want Charlie to meet someone. **  
**Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my world, making no money. **  
**Feedback: Yes, please! Feed the author!  
**A/N:** Thanks for Munchkin for the beta and the reminder about the Koi.

  


Charlie frowned as he put out another place-setting.“Someone we want you to meet,” Don had said.Who could he and Will possibly be bringing to supper?Unless his social memory was wrong – which was always possible -- that sort of phrase was usually reserved for a girlfriend or similar.Considering they already had each other, who on earth could this third person be?He supposed that there could somehow be a third person added to their couplehood – he’d heard of such things …

That gave him the willies so he quickly dismissed it.He wished that Colby was back from the store so that he could discuss it with him.Colby understood people so much better than he did. _Okay, so the overwhelming majority of the world understands people better than I do._ His father would be late for dinner, so it was left to Charlie to meet this unknown person by himself.He fiddled with the paper napkins, folding them into shapes of birds.

Couldn’t Don have given him a clue?What if the person was vegetarian?Charlie’d just cooked steaks and potatoes.Colby was at the store getting beer.What if this person expected wine or fancier food?

Charlie heard the sound of Will’s Explorer pulling into the driveway and ran to the door.Opening it, he stared at the car, but all he could see were Don and Will. _A very small person?_

Will turned off the car, unbuckled his seatbelt and opened his door … and out jumped a cat.

Charlie pulled back in surprise, then wondered if he should try to catch the cat.The cat, however, wasn’t going anywhere, just sitting on the driveway waiting for Will and Don to get out of the car.

Charlie stared at the cat.He was only using the term, “Cat,” because he couldn’t think of a better one.But this “cat” was the size of a medium dog and had white tufts of fur coming out of his ears and large tufted feet.His golden eyes were large, round, and fixed on Charlie.

Don came around the side of the SUV, and the cat stood up and trotted purposefully towards Charlie.Charlie found himself backing up.

“Hey, Charlie,” Don called with a laugh in his voice, “Meet Monster.”

“An appropriate name,” Charlie murmured.The cat came up to Charlie and swirled around his legs.Charlie leaned down and carefully patted the cat’s head.It accepted his pat and moved on into the house.

Charlie watched Monster sniff out the front room and then move on.Charlie turned back to Don.“You got a _cat_?” he asked.Don had never seemed like a cat person.

“Will’s idea,” Don said.

“He got him while I was gone,” Will said, “I probably would gotten something …”

“Smaller?” Charlie said with bemusement.

“Yeah,” Will said with a laugh.“He’s a Maine Coon.They come large.”

“And … outgoing,” Charlie said, watching Monster climb the stairs to investigate the upstairs.

“Yeah, he likes to ride in the car and visit other people.”

“Weird,” Charlie commented.He went towards the stairs to see what Monster was doing, but the cat was already coming back down. _He probably smells dinner._

Indeed, the cat headed straight for the table and jumped up.He batted one of Charlie’s folded up napkin-birds to the floor.

“Monster,” Don chastised in an entirely too calm voice, “Off the table.”

Monster looked up then casually jumped off the table, as if it was his own idea.He chased down the paper bird and patted it across the floor, his fluffy tail twitching.Charlie watched him dubiously.He’d never had a cat, and they always seemed like alien creatures, with even more unfathomable behavior and motivations than people.

“Why did you get a cat?”Charlie asked.

“For company,” Will said.“We both work strange hours, sometimes long hours.This way there will always be someone home with the other person.”

Charlie eyed Monster.“Couldn’t you have gotten a dog or a … parakeet?”

Monster knocked the paper bird beneath the couch.He swiped a paw underneath the couch but couldn’t reach it.He turned and began trotting towards the table, probably for another napkin-bird.

Will headed him off and pushed the couch so that the bird was visible.Monster pounced on it and it skittered off across the floor.

“I like cats,” Will said.

“You would,” Charlie grumbled.

Will smiled.“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Charlie flushed and picked up another napkin to fold.“I just meant that I don’t get cats.”

“And you don’t get me?”Will asked.

Charlie glanced over, but Will seemed amused rather than annoyed.“No,” Charlie acknowledged.

Will’s smile widened.

“Oh, don’t get all puffed up,” Don laughed.“Chuck here doesn’t get anyone he hasn’t known for ten years, and maybe not even then.”

“Humph,” Charlie said.“I get Colby.”

“I’ll bet you do,” Will grinned.

Charlie blushed and mumbled that he needed to get dinner.He pushed open the kitchen door and somehow Monster was there, dashing in ahead of him.

“Hey! Your cat is in my kitchen,” Charlie said accusingly.

“He won’t get into anything … I hope,” Don said, brushing past Charlie like Monster just had.

Charlie followed them into the kitchen to see that Monster was more interested in the back door than food.

Don shook his head.“No, I don’t think the Koi would enjoy a visit.I think the pond’s deep enough they can hide from you, but you might be tempted to take a swim.”Monster stared at the door for a moment, his tail twitching, then headed back into the front room.

Grimacing, Charlie opened the oven door to check the potatoes.Who brings their cat to dinner?

Don handed him an oven mitt.“I should have warned you, but we thought it would be funny to surprise you.I didn’t know you didn’t like cats.”

“I don’t dislike cats,” Charlie said defensively.What he hadn’t appreciated was being the butt of Don and Will’s joke.Charlie was very glad that Don was so happy these days, but did it have to come out as constant jokes on Charlie?

“Hey, buddy,” Don said quietly.“Something wrong?”

Frowning, Charlie pulled the tray out of the oven.“Will doesn’t have any younger brothers, does he?”

“No brothers at all, just three younger sisters.”

“Well, it feels like he’s been saving up a lifetime of little-brother teasing and you just go along with it.”

Don blinked, surprised.He didn’t say anything while Charlie moved the potatoes to a serving dish.Charlie picked up the dish to take it out to the table.

“Hey,” Don said, putting his hand on Charlie’s arm.“I hadn’t realized … I’ll rein him in, okay?”

Charlie nodded and started to move away.

Don stopped Charlie and made him set the dish back down.“Look.Will comes from a pretty messed up family,” Don said, holding Charlie’s eyes.“He doesn’t know what to do with a family that talks to each other and actually likes each other.To be honest, I think we make him nervous.In Will’s family, niceness and politeness are used to cover up a lot of unpleasant feelings underneath.”

“Yuck,” Charlie said faintly.Will’s family sounded awful.

“Don’t tell Will that I told you this.”

“Yeah, sure, of course.”

“So just give Will time, okay?And stand up to him.I think that he’d find that a relief.”

“Really?” Charlie frowned.

“Definitely,” Don said.“But if he’s getting on your nerves, let me know, okay?”

“I do like Will,” Charlie said quickly.

“Good,” Don smiled, gripping Charlie’s shoulder.“’Cause he’s gonna be part of my life for a very long time.”

Charlie nodded slowly, trying to process what Don had just told him.He’d have to talk to Colby about it.Colby might understand.

Don picked up the bowl of potatoes.“I’ve got this.”

“Okay,” Charlie said and followed Don out of the kitchen door.

Will was sitting on the far side of the room, tossing the paper bird for Monster.To Charlie’s surprise, Monster was catching the paper bird and patting it back to Will for him to throw again.Will looked up.With his new knowledge, Charlie could see a flash of nervousness behind Will’s dark eyes, anxiety at what Don and Charlie might have been talking about in the kitchen.Then Will blinked and it was gone.

“He fetches?”Charlie asked.“Are you sure he’s a cat?”

Will smiled.“Reasonably sure, though we haven’t done any genetic testing.”

“You know, I remember reading something about how they’re using modified feline immunodeficiency virus for gene therapy in humans.”

“Feline AIDS you mean?Well, he’s clean.”

Charlie nodded distractedly and went back into the kitchen and through to the back porch.He got the steaks from the grill and carried them to the table.A few more trips back and forth and he had everything that he could think of for the table.

“We’ll give Colby a few minutes, but not much longer since the steaks are best hot.”

Charlie sat down at the table.Will got up from playing with Monster and came over to take a seat.Monster followed him.

Charlie said, “Don’t tell me he eats at the table …”

“No,” Don laughed.“And he doesn’t beg either, which is good.”

“Is he neutered?”Charlie asked.“Did you know that one female cat can produce 420,000 cats in only seven years?”

“He’s neutered, Charlie,” Don said and sat down.

Charlie removed the extra place-setting he’d brought for Don’s mystery guest then sat down himself.He fiddled with his napkin, unsure how to embark on this new policy of ‘standing up’ to Will.Then he smiled.“You had to get a male cat?Don’t you already have enough testosterone in that house?It must be practically dripping down the walls.”

Will laughed and Don snorted.

“Figured a girl cat would drown in it,” Will said.

“You said that Don got him while you were gone?”

“Yep,” Will said, “Came home from four days straight sniffing out a drug connection on the docks and looking forward to taking a shower and seeing Don, or maybe both, and then I open the door and here’s this big cat staring at me.”

“I see,” Charlie said, with mock solemnity.“So you don’t mind if Don brings home strange males while you’re gone.”

Will’s eyes widened, Don stiffened, and Charlie wondered if he’d gone too far.Before he could apologize, Will began to laugh.

Will shook his finger at Don.“I told him that if it happened again that it would be him getting neutered.”

Charlie chuckled and Don relaxed.

At that moment, the front door opened and in came Colby.“Hey guys,” Colby called then did a double-take when he saw Monster.Monster walked straight up to Colby and stuck his head in one of the plastic grocery bags Colby was carrying.

“Colby, this is Monster,” Don said.“Our cat.”

“Umm, what’s he doing here?”

“Visiting,” Will said.He stood up.“Give you a hand, Granger?”

Colby said nothing but didn’t resist when Will took a bag from his hand.Colby was still staring at Monster.

“Monster,” Don called, and Monster took his head out of the bag and looked over at Don.“Hey, Will,” Don said to Will, who was going through the kitchen door.“Find Monster some milk?”

Monster’s ears shot forward and he moved quickly towards Will.Will went into the kitchen followed by an eager cat, who was followed by a bemused Colby.

“Adult cats I’ve had would throw up if I fed them milk,” Colby said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

Charlie watched him go and traded glances with Don.Will and Colby weren’t the greatest of buddies, but they seemed to be fairly comfortable around each other.Wouldn’t have guessed that from their first meeting …

“So Don,” Charlie lowered his voice.“A joint pet.That’s a big step.”

Don looked surprised then thoughtful.“Yeah, I guess it is.It seemed perfectly natural, like moving into Will’s place.”

“Cats can live for fifteen or twenty years,” Charlie said, “Though I don’t know about the life expectancy of Maine Coons in particular.”

“Overt signs of commitment,” Don murmured to himself.

“Hmm?”

“Oh, just something Megan said.”

“You talked with Megan about getting a cat?”

“Not directly, no.”

“Then what—“

Don leaned closer.“So when are you and Colby shacking up?”

Charlie’s mouth dropped open and he stared at Don.“We, never, I mean, we haven’t, we haven’t talked about it.”

“Why not?” Don smiled.“I tell you that it’s wonderful to have someone to come home to, someone to share a bed with.”

Charlie nodded slowly.He knew how lovely it was to sleep with Colby.He’d done it for a long time, but when the nightmares began to fade …Why hadn’t they talked about it?Colby probably wanted his own place, somewhere to go to get away from him ...

Charlie offered up the only argument he could think of, however weak.“What about Dad?”

“What about him?”Don asked.“I don’t think he’d mind.”

“Come on, don’t you—“

At that moment, Will and Colby came out of the kitchen, Colby carrying a bunch of beers and Will carrying a bowl with milk in it.Monster trotted after them.Will set down the bowl and Monster’s nose dove into it.

Colby opened the beers and passed them around.Charlie took his and started portioning out the steaks.Colby and Will were talking with animation about various cats that they’d had.Charlie listened closely, but didn’t learn anything new about Colby’s past. _Yet another thing we haven’t talked about._

While Don asked Will about one of his cats, Colby touched Charlie’s hand.“Everything ok?” he asked quietly.

Charlie nodded and smiled.What they had now was good – why do something that might mess it up?

Colby eyed him, like he wasn’t sure to trust that smile, but he shrugged and turned back to the conversation.That was one of the many things that Charlie loved about Colby – he didn’t push.There was plenty of time to deal with other things.

_Right now …_ Charlie looked over at Monster and smiled.He was a big odd cat, but he made Don happy, which is really all that mattered.Will too, in fact.It was only a bonus that both Will and Monster were growing on Charlie.He scooted back from the table and went to look for some tuna for the newest member of his family.

 


	5. Ficlet: Monster and the Koi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don introduces Monster to the Koi pond.

**Title:** Monster and the Koi **  
**Characters: Don, Charlie **  
**Rating: PG **  
**Summary: Don introduces Monster to the Koi pond. **  
**Disclaimer: Not my characters, not my world, making no money. **  
**Feedback: Yes, please! Feed the author!  
**A/N:** Thanks to my beta.  


 

Monster circled around the Koi pond, examining all the angles of approach.Don and Charlie watched closely.

“It’s better to introduce him to the pond while I’m here, instead of letting him find it on his own, because you know he will,” Don said, readying himself to grab Monster if he jumped in.

“I can see what kind of parent you are,” Charlie said with a sly grin.

“He’s a cat, not a kid,” Don protested.

“He’s your and Will’s _bay-bee_ ,” Charlie said in a singsong voice that all little brothers seemed born with.

“He’s nothing like a baby,” Don said in irritation.

Monster took advantage of Don’s distraction and slid into the pond.Monster’s paws slashed through the water and the Koi scattered.

“Monster!” Don shouted.He stepped into the pond, slid, and landed hard on his ass.“Ugh,” he groaned as his whole body was jarred.

He turned to find Monster.The cat was paddling around the pond, sticking his nose into the water every few strokes.His tail was thrashing around like a long-furred whip, the end still dry.Don looked for the Koi but they seemed to have disappeared.At least Monster didn’t have any in his jaws just yet.

Behind him, Charlie was laughing.Don glared at him.“Give me a hand?”

Charlie stepped back.“You’ll pull me in.”

“There are enough of us in here already,” Don snapped.

Charlie held out his hand, looking ready to let go at the slightest hint of trouble.Don grabbed it and yanked himself out of the pond, causing Charlie to stagger.

Soggy and annoyed, Don looked back at the pond.Monster was still paddling around, but from this angle Don could see that that Koi were all hidden safely under the overhanging rocks.Unless Monster was willing to dive pretty deep – and it didn’t look like he was – he wouldn’t be able to get to them.

Monster quickly reached the same conclusion and turned to Don, meowing a demand.

“No,” Don grumbled. “I’m not going to get the fish to come up for you.”

Monster’s tail lashed angrily, spraying water around.Don watched him silently until he seemed to tire of swimming.He climbed out of the pond and trotted up to Don, the water streaming off his thick fur.He sat and glared up at Don.

“Mrow!”Monster said reproachfully.

“The fish were here before you were,” Don replied.“I’m not going to change their pond to please you.Chase a bird or something.”

Monster lifted his nose and stalked away.

“Interesting parenting technique,” Charlie said snidely.

“Oh, shut up,” Don said with a sigh.Usually Monster was a good buddy, but sometimes it felt like Monster was a child – a furry, energetic, obstinate child.“Just wait until you have kids.”

“I don’t think that I will,” Charlie said quietly.

Don grimaced, remembering the slim likelihood of either of them giving dad grandkids now.He shrugged and patted Charlie’s shoulder.“You could always get a dog,” Don said.“Monster would love that.”


	6. Photo of Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A photo of Monster


End file.
